OCR

10 . THE LIBERTY BOYS
AND PAUL JONES.
They continued onward another hour, and then of a sud-
den a dark mass loomed up ahead of the boat.
Dick saw it, and for a moment was puzzled.
What could it be?
Then of a sudden the realization of what it was came to
the youth, and he exclaimed, mentally:
“A ship!”
He believed he understood matters now‘.
The men who were in the boat with him belonged on
board this ship.
“’l‘lien, if they are patriots, and friends of mine, this
must be a patriot ship," thought Dick.
But he was afraid this could not be.
It was almost too much to expect.
In the New York Harbor were the warships of Commo-
dore Howe, General Howe’s brother.
These ships were many in number and would any pa-
triot commander of a patriot vessel dare venture so near
to whereithe British were?
The Liberty Boy doubted it.
It would be a very daring thing to do, certainly, and
where was there a man who would dare do it?
It was soon made evident that the men belonged on
board this ship, however. for the boat came to, along-
side the vessel, and the man who was evidently the com-
mander, hailed. '
“Ahoy, the ship!” he called, in a cautious voice.
“Ahoy!” came back from the deck. "Who are you?”
“The captain, back from New York,” was the reply.
“Lower the ladder.”
A rope-ladder soon came rattling down, and the spokes-
man turned and addressed the wounded man.
“Do you feel strong enough to climb the ladder?” he
asked.
“Yes, I think so,” was the reply.
“All right; you go ahead, and I will follow close behind
and assist you.”
“Very well, sir.”
The wounded man began climbing the ladder. and the
commander, who had spoken of himself as the “Captain,”
followed, keeping close behind the wounded man, and as-
sisting him as much as possible.
“You come next, sir,” he said to Dick; “and you come
last, and see to getting the boat on deck,” this to the other
oarsman.
As soon as the two had reached the deck Dick climbed
quickly up and took his place on deck; then the other
man came up the ladder, and began superintending the
work of raising the boat to its place.
The commander had turned the wounded sailor over to
some of his comrades, and now he turned to Dick.
“Come with me,” he said.
He led the way to and into the cabin, Dick following
closely. '
“Now I will soon know who he is, and all about this
liiisiness.” thought the, youth.
Crossing the main cabin, the man opened the door lead-
ing to a smaller room, and he motioned for Dick to enter.
The youth did so, and the man followed, and closed the
door.
The room, like the large outer one, was lighted by can-
dles. and Dick looked at the man with interest.
He had a natural curiosity to see what his unknown res-
cuer looked like.
He was well pleased with the result of the inspection.
The man was a handsome, manly-looking fzeiitleinaii,
and he was dressed in a rough-looking suit of clothing
much like the one Dick had on. The rough clothing could
not hide the fact that he was a man born to eoinniand,
liowever.
The man was eyeing Dick rather searchiiigly at the
same time.
While doing so, however, he seated himself, and motion-
ed for the youth to do the same.
When Dick had done so the man spoke.
“Well, my young friend, you had a narrow escape,” he
remarked. .
“You are riglit, sir,” Dick replied; “but for you I think
I should probably have been captured.”
“Yes; l think myself that you could not have escaped;
but why were the redeoats cliasing yoii?”
The liiherty ioy knew that he must be on board a pa-
triot vessel, so he spoke up and aiiswcred, unhcsitatingly:
“I had knocked a redt.-oat down, sir; he attempted to
make a prisoner of me, and I sent him to the pavement
with a blow on the jaw. Otlieis saw the affair, and gave
cli:i.<e to me.” ‘
“l‘lvV3Cll.V- W011. if I may $l.’<lx’. what is your name?”
"My name is Slater, sir-.Dick Slater.”
The man started.
“I have heard of you." he said. “Have you not been
doing work for (leneral Washington, in the way of spying
upon the llritisli?”
“Yes, sir.”
"‘And you are the captain of a company of young sol-
diers called The Liberty Boys of "76 ?”
“I am, sir.”
5.’ i . .
(wood! I am glad to make your acquaintance, Dick Sla-
)7 ,
ter, and the man extended his hand, which Dick grasped.
“ - c . ' i '
And now, (Japtaiii Slater. will you tell me what you
were doing down in New York?”
“I was there on a special mission, sir.”
“XV hat was its nature?”
“I was trvino to disco v . ' > s -
. K . P‘ . yer on which prison-ship a friend
Of mmt‘-011-0 Of my Liberty Boys-is imprisoned.”
The captain stai‘te(l.
“Did you learn what you wished to?”
The youth shook his head.
‘P’ .' .. ' -, ‘ - .
No, >11. I had not been in the city long enough to learn
anything.”
cc , v I ‘
V Exactly. lhll. p<rliaps I may be 3519 to help you,
IV hen and where was your friend captured?”
‘C
At the battle of Long Island, sir.”
“Ali, indeed?”
mi Y'9S.H
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